How Huntley's former fire chief spent tens of thousands in public funds on questionable items, time moonlighting as police officer

HUNTLEY – A former Huntley fire chief who resigned last year was the subject of an internal investigation for unauthorized moonlighting as a local police officer and for spending tens of thousands of dollars in public funds on items of questionable use to the department, according to records obtained by the Northwest Herald.

Ken Caudle, who was chief of the Huntley Fire Protection District from November 2012 until August, bought a long list of items, including a drone, a $7,000 robot and an estimated $14,000 engraver. But the district said it does not know the exact cost of 54 flagged items he bought over a period of years.

Some items seem to apply to more police-oriented work than others, such as an armor bearing duty vest, “ballistics,” handcuff restraints, tactical jackets and belts and a taser recertification course.